Seemandhra leaders fear to visit their homes

Seemandhra leaders fear to visit their homes
All the Seemandhra Congress MLAs and ministers, who find it difficult to stay in their trouble-ridden constituencies, are planning to go to New Delhi on August 11 to urge the party high command to reverse its decision on bifurcation of the state.

It has become a routine activity for the agitators in Seemandhra to stage dharnas at the residences of public representatives who have not resigned in protest against the bifurcation of the state. This situation has made many MLAs and ministers confine themselves to Hyderabad while MPs and Union ministers prefer to stay in New Delhi, as they find a safe haven there.

On Wednesday, protesters staged sit-in in front of the residences of APCC president Botsa Satyanarayana in Vizianagaram, Union textiles minister Kavuri Sambasiva Rao in Eluru and Union minister Purandeswari’s office in Vizag. In Kakinada the house of Union HRD minister was attacked by the agitators led by YSR Congress leaders. Even though many MLAs and MPs submitted their resignations, none of the state and Union ministers has resigned so far. Ministers S Sailajanath, Ganta Srinivasa Rao and Kondru Murali have been shuttling between Hyderabad and New Delhi to consult the party MPs on intensifying the pressure on the Congress leadership against the division, or at least seeking Union Territory status for Hyderabad in case the division is imminent.

In Delhi the Seemandhra meetings and consolations are unending. On Tuesday Sailajanath, Ganta and Murali attended the meetings of MPs and Union ministers.

Talking to TOI, Sailajanath said protests in Andhra and Rayalaseema regions were no longer led by political leaders.

“People are voluntarily coming out to participate in the movement. They are in fact questioning the silence of MLAs and ministers. We are now being led by the people, not the other way round. We want to convey to the Congress leadership the seriousness of the Samaikyandhra movement,” Sailajanath said from New Delhi. He said the three ministers were in the national capital to discuss the future course of action with MPs and Union ministers keeping in view the escalating tension.

Meanwhile, sources said the Union ministers are unlikely to visit their constituencies during the weekend despite Ramzan and three-day holiday. The public in their constituencies are angry with them as they have taken the stand that resignations are not a solution.

On the other side, G Virasiva Reddy, the first Congress MLA to resign from the party and the assembly, dared the Union ministers to visit their home towns… FullStory